Qantas redemption booking woes

[drcam]

For my planned trip next year, the rarest of miracles has happened: Qantas has a classic J redemption available on the day I wish to travel! Praise the Lord!

Unfortunately, things never work out perfectly. There is only a redemption available flying out of BNE-LAX rather than my home town of MEL.
In theory, adding a connecting flight MEL-BNE does not add to the points required if there is a layover under 24 hours in Brisbane. This sounds like a nice idea as I get an extra day to visit some friends in Queensland.
However, when I try to combine the bookings, the site tells me that my flights cannot be confirmed.

I tried calling up QF but the same thing happens and they say that there is no availability on the domestic leg. I believe that there is plenty of availability if you book the domestic leg ALONE.

Qantas are basically just trying to do us over but only giving out the worst value redemptions in any available format. Of course I can still book separate legs, but at a cost of 27k more points.


My options are as follows:

(1) Book the international leg in J from Brisbane and buy an el cheapo Y flight MEL-BNE the night before

(2) Suck it up in coughpy premium economy MEL-LAX for ~ 25% less points (oh what coughpy value), given that it is a daytime flight (jet lag notwithstanding) and I still have lounge access - at least I save a domestic airfare and a night's accommodation

(3) Try for a NAN-LAX redemption from Fiji - note no connecting J flights to Fiji - I'd need to buy a commercial booking from Melbourne to Fiji first but then only pay 82k to get from NAN to LAX.

Do you have any opinions on which option I could take? Or is there some other way out? Either way I don't have long before I have to decide - in the few days I have to make up my mind, these redemptions available may simply disappear!

 

[jpp42]

What level of FF with Qantas are you?

You can just book the BNE-LAX segment now, and then try your luck at getting Hobart/Auckland call centres to add the MEL-BNE segment later. They are seemingly the only ones with the right access to make this kind of change, it will always shows as "no availbility" to the outsourced call centres.

 

[RichardMEL]

Grab the BNE-LAX while you can and then worry about the connection. Secure the long haul should be the priority if it's the date you want.

 

[drcam]

What level of FF with Qantas are you?

You can just book the BNE-LAX segment now, and then try your luck at getting Hobart/Auckland call centres to add the MEL-BNE segment later. They are seemingly the only ones with the right access to make this kind of change, it will always shows as "no availbility" to the outsourced call centres.

I am Bronze FF. My status is with Star Alliance, not that it has helped much.
How do I call the Hobart/Auckland call centre? Every time I call the standard number it is someone whose fluency in English appears limited.

 

[RichardMEL]

Sadly you won't be very likely to ever get HBA with no status with QF unfortunately. This does limit things more unfortunately.

 

[drcam]

Well does that change which choice you would take?

Seriously, is Premium Economy bearable enough, given it's a daytime flight and you get an extra day in LA, you don't have to buy a separate domestic leg.

Also, would e-mailing Qantas help in any way or is it their practice now to ignore e-mails and feedback?

 

[jpp42]

Also, would e-mailing Qantas help in any way or is it their practice now to ignore e-mails and feedback?

No, emailing will not help, they won't answer regrading booking issues and they will take weeks to respond if they do at all.

You really need to secure that BNE-LAX flight *now.* Every minute that you're here talking about it is another minute that someone will grab it before you...

 

[elanshin]

Well does that change which choice you would take?

Seriously, is Premium Economy bearable enough, given it's a daytime flight and you get an extra day in LA, you don't have to buy a separate domestic leg.

Depends on what your tolerances are like.
12-14hours is still a long time (so you'll want to nap at some point). MEL > BNE can be purchased even at a later date when it goes on a domestic sale.

PE is reasonable if you don't have any options. Ultimately having done this a few times in economy ,its not going to kill you but it can be uncomfortable especially if you're out of luck and have an oversized person next to you.

Also I'm assuming you tried using Multi city to try and find a MEL > BNE then BNE to LAX right?

Also, would e-mailing Qantas help in any way or is it their practice now to ignore e-mails and feedback?

No

 

[drcam]

Yes. A multi-city booking.

Ultimately, Qantas J is below standard when it comes to comparison with Asian carriers, but Qantas PE was subjectively better than SQ's offering. Hmmm.

 

[CaptJCool]

In the current environment
Grab what’s offered up even if it’s not ideal
Stop the Perfect being the enemy of the Great Good

These “finds” are rare esp for Bronze FF Fliers

And the arguments about “extra” 10-15,000 points to re-position can be recouped with a dozen bottles of wine

 

[Fifi2207]

Can anyone advise if they have ever booked a partners seat after booking a OWR for yourself.
Despite being WP I cannot get two seats in J to UK next August. I’ve tried the old request route all have been “denied” I check seats.aero all the time but go to book on Qantas and it’s just a single seat. Then we got to wondering….. what about booking one and buying one.
It’s a wedding so we have to be there and my husband just says book as he’s worried we leave it and there is no J left at all! I’m Scottish and want to use at least some points!!

 

[Amanad78]

Do you have any opinions on which option I could take? Or is there some other way out? Either way I don't have long before I have to decide - in the few days I have to make up my mind, these redemptions available may simply disappear!

I did manage recently to do this.
Called and no joy.

I emailed Reward Ticketing Escalations with my existing PNR, said there had been an error at booking and I couldn't add the first flight. Gave details of the flight I wanted added. I said the flight is obviously there and available and I was told by call centre staff it's only for new bookings which I know is not true.

The email response said the email address is only for partner reward bookings so I said there is no one else to help as the call centre is telling me incorrect info and I cant het through to Hobart as a Bronze. The flight requested did eventually get added (no email response but I could see it in my app).

Then the problem was that although the flight was there it wasn't confirmed and I couldn't select a seat. Tried calling to pay the extra tax, was told not possible, it's not confirmed.

Emailed back again, said thanks so much for adding the flight but it's not confirmed, can I pay the tax? Was told it had gone to yield management for approval.
Waited a couple of weeks, nothing, emailed again asking why yield management needed to be involved when the domestic flight was obviously still available online to book with points.

Finally, a miracle, Qantas rang me to say they were confirming the flight and I needed to pay the taxes. Done in 5 minutes.

A good outcome for me, but it shouldn't be so hard to get a simple thing like this done.

I also don't understand why there is an email for partner redemptions but not their own classic rewards.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

I did manage recently to do this.
Called and no joy.

I emailed Reward Ticketing Escalations with my existing PNR, said there had been an error at booking and I couldn't add the first flight. Gave details of the flight I wanted added. I said the flight is obviously there and available and I was told by call centre staff it's only for new bookings which I know is not true.

The email response said the email address is only for partner reward bookings so I said there is no one else to help as the call centre is telling me incorrect info and I cant het through to Hobart as a Bronze. The flight requested did eventually get added (no email response but I could see it in my app).

Then the problem was that although the flight was there it wasn't confirmed and I couldn't select a seat. Tried calling to pay the extra tax, was told not possible, it's not confirmed.

Emailed back again, said thanks so much for adding the flight but it's not confirmed, can I pay the tax? Was told it had gone to yield management for approval.
Waited a couple of weeks, nothing, emailed again asking why yield management needed to be involved when the domestic flight was obviously still available online to book with points.

Finally, a miracle, Qantas rang me to say they were confirming the flight and I needed to pay the taxes. Done in 5 minutes.

A good outcome for me, but it shouldn't be so hard to get a simple thing like this done.

I also don't understand why there is an email for partner redemptions but not their own classic rewards.

I did manage recently to do this.
Called and no joy.

I emailed Reward Ticketing Escalations with my existing PNR, said there had been an error at booking and I couldn't add the first flight. Gave details of the flight I wanted added. I said the flight is obviously there and available and I was told by call centre staff it's only for new bookings which I know is not true.

The email response said the email address is only for partner reward bookings so I said there is no one else to help as the call centre is telling me incorrect info and I cant het through to Hobart as a Bronze. The flight requested did eventually get added (no email response but I could see it in my app).

Then the problem was that although the flight was there it wasn't confirmed and I couldn't select a seat. Tried calling to pay the extra tax, was told not possible, it's not confirmed.

Emailed back again, said thanks so much for adding the flight but it's not confirmed, can I pay the tax? Was told it had gone to yield management for approval.
Waited a couple of weeks, nothing, emailed again asking why yield management needed to be involved when the domestic flight was obviously still available online to book with points.

Finally, a miracle, Qantas rang me to say they were confirming the flight and I needed to pay the taxes. Done in 5 minutes.

A good outcome for me, but it shouldn't be so hard to get a simple thing like this done.

I also don't understand why there is an email for partner redemptions but not their own classic rewards.

Dealing with Qantas for anything is always unnecessarily difficult. Compare that to Alaska Airlines who can resolve most things relating to reward bookings via their online chat in a quick, friendly and effective manner. It's such a refreshing experience!

 

[Economy_Gold]

Dealing with Qantas for anything is always so unnecessarily hard.

Dealing with Qantas for anything is always unnecessarily difficult. Compare that to Alaska Airlines who can resolve most things relating to reward bookings via their online chat in a quick, friendly and effective manner. It's such a refreshing experience!

I am WP, but even as a "premium customer" the service is unnecessarily hard. Recently I had to call four time for something that should have been resolved easily in the first call.
So I think Qantas management, which is ultimately responsible for all the call centre operations no matter if the actual calls are handeld in-house or externally, is following stupid short-term thinking. By not properly training agents and by not empowering them to resolve issues on the spot they might save some money in the short term, but the result is often multiple calls (= extra costs for Qantas) and reputational demage (= less business for Qantas).

Oh, and I have another issue: why does Qantas not send the most complex issues such as round-the-world tickets or "oneworld awards" to the most experienced agents either through a special phone number or a selection in the phone menu? By letting inexperienced agents handle such matters they often end up making mistakes that are frustrating for the customer and expensive for Qantas because they require multiple calls.

 

[goldenhorn]

Like others, my philosophy is to pounce on a CR in J as soon as I see it and work out the rest later.

In this case I would buy a ticket to BNE the night before and stay in an airport hotel. Done this many times before and make a relaxed walk over the check in the next morning.

 

[Gold Member]

Yes. A multi-city booking.

This x100. Multi-city award bookings will often overcome the married segment logic that prohibits you connecting from another domestic origin.

Dealing with Qantas for anything is always unnecessarily difficult. Compare that to Alaska Airlines who can resolve most things relating to reward bookings via their online chat in a quick, friendly and effective manner. It's such a refreshing experience!

I am WP, but even as a "premium customer" the service is unnecessarily hard. Recently I had to call four time for something that should have been resolved easily in the first call.

Oh, and I have another issue: why does Qantas not send the most complex issues such as round-the-world tickets or "oneworld awards" to the most experienced agents either through a special phone number or a selection in the phone menu? By letting inexperienced agents handle such matters they often end up making mistakes that are frustrating for the customer and expensive for Qantas because they require multiple calls.

All you WP/P1s just aren’t “match fit”. Pick up your game and make it work somehow.

Qantas’ cost cutting to the bone has nothing to do with the exquisitely timed departure of your notoriously infamous Leader’s bonus pay linked to financial metrics which include metrics such as COGS, expenses, gross margin etc. I doubt any of his grossly excessive bonus triggers were linked customer sat etc. In fact, I could swear he was heavily incentivised to make life as miserable and difficult for all Qantas customers - a job well done.

 

[drcam]

Qantas' ethos is something straight out of Ryanair - make customers experience the worst value possible and don't be afraid to show it.

For a bona fide example, for many years they showed availability in J when searching for an award flight from Melbourne to LA connecting at Sydney, with "your segment from Sydney to LA will be in Economy". Then charging you full business points for the entire trip.

Even mainland Chinese airlines, in my experience, deal with customers' complaints better than Qantas. But mainland Chinese are also more prone to thump tables and shout.

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Qantas' ethos is something straight out of Ryanair - make customers experience the worst value possible and don't be afraid to show it.

For a bona fide example, for many years they showed availability in J when searching for an award flight from Melbourne to LA connecting at Sydney, with "your segment from Sydney to LA will be in Economy". Then charging you full business points for the entire trip.

Even mainland Chinese airlines, in my experience, deal with customers' complaints better than Qantas. But mainland Chinese are also more prone to thump tables and shout.

Joyce was picked in attempt to clone the Ryanair "style". And in his endless rote apeing he never drifted far from the theme, adding very little, if any, of his own creation (aside from the odd rainbow-woke unicorn).

I hadn't realised that QF had stopped the old "Your trip will be in..." con. That wasn't just for SYD-LA, it was anywhere, shamelessly. (And on routes sold as "F", too).

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Speaking of unicorns ... all the talk of AJ and I forgot the subject of the thread!

Like others have said ... grab the unicorn while you can, then deal with the connecting details is usually the best "bird in the hand" policy when it comes to reward bookings.

 

[Fifi2207]

Joyce was picked in attempt to clone the Ryanair "style". And in his endless rote apeing he never drifted far from the theme, adding very little, if any, of his own creation (aside from the odd rainbow-woke unicorn).

I hadn't realised that QF had stopped the old "Your trip will be in..." con. That wasn't just for SYD-LA, it was anywhere, shamelessly. (And on routes sold as "F", too).

Post automatically merged: Dec 2, 2023

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